Daily Devotion: The Hand of God

Scripture:
1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Main Verse:
1 Chronicles 4: 10
Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.

Observation:
Jabez's third prayer request was for the "hand of the Lord." Jabez knew that it was not easy to handle God's blessings and an enlarged territory when God gives them to him. When I think about Jabez's request, I remember when God sent Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses hesitated several times. He told the Lord about his inabilities and his ineptness to do the work in Exodus 4. But the Lord reminded him that He is Sovereign Lord, and that He will guide him until the day the Israelites are set free from slavery.

Application:
When we have an impossible task in front of us, do we ask the Lord's hand for guidance? Do we ask for God's holy power and presence? Do we even know and believe that God is Sovereign Lord? When we ask for God's mighty hand, we are acknowledging that we are bound to fail unless God steps in. We are giving the Lord full control and express TOTAL DEPENDENCE. Both Moses and Jabez were ordinary people, but God set both of them up for greatness because they readily acknowledged their weakness and imperfection, and in so doing, they were able to witness God's perfect ways. Are you ready and willing to receive the mighty hand of God in your life?

Prayer:
Father, you are powerful and almighty God, and I thank you that you have made yourself known to me through your Holy Word. I am weak, but I know that in my weakness, I can feel your strong presence. Let your mighty hand be with me always, in Jesus's name I pray. AMEN.